Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-06-17
PATRONS OF HUsRANDRY.
MORTIMER wHrrEHEAD.

the very starting point Of all the evils
that threaten our land to day. In them
are found Anarchists, Communists, Nj
hilists and all the other importations OF
mischief from other countries. The
fact that the cities are growing much
more rapidly. than the whole population
is full of significance and should attract
the attention and interest of our farming
population, for il is they who must bear
the final and heaviest burdens that must
surelyc me il, when threatening perils
watt" they are not promptly met and
averted. In 1890 one thirtieth of the
population of the United States lived in
cities of 5000 inhabitants and over; in
1900, one .twenty-fifth: in 1910 and also
In 1920, one-twentieth: in 1880, one-six-
tenth; in 1910, one-twclfth; in 1850
one-eighth; in 1890, one-sixth; in 1870,
little Overcome fifth, and in 1880 nearly
one-fourth. From 1870 to 1880 the
whole population increased twelve fold
the city population eighty-six fold.
From 1880 to 1880 the whole population
increased little less than four fold, the
city population thirteen fold. From
1870 to 1880 the whole population in
creased thirty per cent. the city popula-
ton forty per cent. During the half
century preceding 1880 population in
the city increased more than five times
as rapidly as that of the village and
country. In 1900 there were only six
cities in the United States which had
population of 5000 or more. In 1880
there were 2S6. These figures are from
the T. S. Census reports and should set
us to thinking.
We have spoken of the evils in our
cities as of foreign importation. The
thrifty, moral, law-abiding emigrant is
welcome and always has been to our
shores, but he does not remain as rule
in the cities. The bad element central
ICES in the cities. A few more figures to
think about. Our fifty, principal cities
contain over 80 per cent. of our entire
German population, and over 10 per
cent CT the Irish. Our ten larger cities
contain only nine per cent. of tho entire
population, but twenty-three per cent.
of the foreign. while little less than
one-third of the population of the United
States is foreign by birth or parentage.
Sixty-two percent. Of the population of
Cincinnati are foreign, eighty-three per
cent. of Cleveland, sixty.three per cent.
of Boston. eighty eight per cent. of New
York and ninety-one per cent. OF Chi
cago.
The figures in the above items are
given and will be followed by others to
afford patrons some light upon a ques-
ton that should have a thorough dis
cussion in all our Oranges at an early
day, viz: Should the indiscriminate
landing upon our shores of hundreds of
thousands of all classes Of foreign emf
grants be i'm some measure restricted,
with view to the future peace and
prosperity of our country?
a correspondent of the Texas Farmer
writes as follows: "For the past six
years | have been only aspectator. |
have looked down upon the Grange
from a!oft, as it were. and with more
than ordinary opportunities for observ-
ing its effects-its successes here, or its
partial failures there. have not seen
these through the colored glasses Of
prejudice, nor those magnified by an in
tense enthusiasm. / have been some
what silent. but always keenly interest
ed in every move the Grange has under.
taken for ameliorating the condition
of mankind. And when | see 1t has
taught us that our neighbor has some
tights which we ought to respect; when
l see neighborhoods brought into closest
social relation through the instrument
tally of the Grange; when see better
farmers and better farming rs result
of Grange teachings; when we find ed
ucated and refined gentlemen and ladies
forming the great rank and file of those
who honor farming by being farmers;
when we see the halls of our Legisla-
lures being more fairly represented by
agriculturists, and needed legislation
coming in answer to the demand Of our
Order; when we look about us and be-
hold the shackleS of ignorance broken,
and vague superstitionS driven from our
land, l am ready, with my brothers and
sisters, to exclaim. "The Grange, as
the farmers friend. is the grandest sue
cess of the nineteenth century,"
William Saunders, one of the founders
of the Grange, says the first duty of an
orgaization is that of educating its men,
bers to true knowledge of their.posi-
ton as n part of whole which must
work tremendously, aud this has always
been found to be the most precarious of
all the preliminary steps involved in
pertecting the effective working powers
of an organization, for not until its menu
bers have become thoroughly impressed
with the fact that unity of action cannot
be acquired without discipline will they
have learned that one of the first duties
of members of an organization is to see
that discipline is rightly enforced.
Therefore 1t is, that before any organi-
za:ion can work effectively, its members
individually, must be intelligent in re-
gard to the nature Of the question upon
which they may be called to give an
opinion, and ever bear in mind that they
ebnnlI tata a Sinnaro infarast In oorry